1.Everyone shall possess the right to freely express and publicise his thoughts in words, images or by any other means, as well as the right to inform others, inform himself and be informed without hindrance or discrimination
2.Exercise of the said rights shall not be hindered or limited by any type or form of censorship
Constitution of the Portuguese Republic, Article 37.º

Madeleine police files under wraps

Thousands of British police files detailing the hunt for Madeleine McCann will not be released unless those behind her disappearance are brought to justice.

Senior Leicestershire Police officers have remained tight-lipped about their role co-ordinating the search for the toddler since she vanished from a Portuguese holiday resort in May 2007.

But analysts at the force have drawn up a list detailing the mass of information they have gathered and considered whether they would ever release any of it to the general public.

The paperwork includes everything from correspondence with Government ministers, minutes of police meetings, details of leads and sightings to copies of letters from the McCann family.

Leicestershire Police said they will not release any information while the inquiry is ongoing and will never reveal the tactics of their investigation. But internal documents suggest some papers may eventually be published.

They stated: "Anything in relation to the investigation into the disappearance of Madeleine McCann will not be released whilst it remains ongoing.

"Consideration may be given to releasing certain material, ie, that which would not reveal police tactics, when the circumstances surrounding Madeleine's disappearance are fully known and the person/people involved have been brought to justice and a suitable period for any appeal has elapsed."

Madeleine, from Rothley, Leicestershire, disappeared on May 3 2007 from Praia da Luz, nine days before her fourth birthday.

An investigation into her disappearance was carried out by the Portuguese police, supported by Leicestershire Police.

The force is responsible for co-ordinating British inquiries under the codename Operation Task.

Currently and since June 2008 there isn't any Police force investigating the Madeleine McCann disappearence, be it the Judiciary Portuguese Police, Interpol, Europol, Scotland Yard or Leicestershire Constabulary Police.

The British police, and in particular, Leicestershire Constabulary have no jurisdiction on the so called 'Maddie case' - unless Kate and Gerry McCann decided, finally, to file a missing persons report in that Country.

Nevertheless, for an investigation to be ongoing that would mean that the case was indeed being worked, investigated by proper authorities and that is not the case, the process to Madeleine McCann's disappearence is archived, waiting for better evidence, at the Portuguese Public Ministry.

As many of you have pointed out, the timing for this unnamed [no officer names] and unassigned [no journalists] press release is coincidentally odd, considering that one liaison officer, belonging to the Scotland Yard, who was an element of 'Operation Task', is supposed to be heard as a witness in less than two weeks time at the Civil Court of Lisbon for Mr. Amaral's defense.

Is this a hint, of yet another impediment, similar to the 6 months old rogatory letters that had to be sent various times to the Home Office until they were accepted?

Doing everything possible to delay the investigation, by not passing on important information, eg. statements made by the Gaspars ref David Payne, or not helping the Portuguese police receive the information they had requested, e.g. Madeleine's medical information and the McCanns credit card details.

All of which would have been well within their bounds to find out and pass on.

Is it just me ..or do I detect a certain amount of nervousness regarding the forthcoming appeal by the only guy who has balls in this entire sorry saga??The P.J. MUST have the same information. Surely?If not, WHY NOT!!!?

I'm not holding my breath on them doing an independent ongoing inquiry.

It is probably the McCann's investigation they are referring to, and now they have sent in Gamble to give aid and assistance to that.

Let's face it, the McCanns have been holding photo fit press releases to the media as if they were the cops in charge, sending their so called own detective force hither and yon, to chase, question and intimidate people who have subsequently been named to the press, and all the rest of their intimidating antics.

Seems like they have been doing this with the blessing of the UK police because nobody has stepped in to stop them.

It has been an utter disgrace.

And now we have McCann being invited to speak at a Conference for an organisation headed by Gamble which is seen to be some sort of Criminal investigatory agency.

I hope we haven't forgotten the standing ovation Gerry McCann was given by the cops either.

The instruction to the British police to withhold information comes from the higher archy . The police are only puppets . They haven't any authority agaist imperalism . It's an obvious cover-up and a pernicious evil . We must continue with our fight for Truth and Justice for Madeleine .

Hopefully the British Police will blow the whistle (and relese most of the details surreptitiously to the public ) if they have any courage or conscience . I'm positive the truth will surface .

I think it's the bit about the 'details of leads and sightings' and 'letters from the McCanns' that are indicating which way the wind is blowing within the Leicestershire Police.

This may be a case of there being 'the big white elephant' in the room, but nobody is allowed to mention it

You know, where everybody is really in the know, but they must only focus on finding the abductor from the McCann abduction fairy story, in cooperation with the McCanns of course, who are feeding them information as to what they are doing in their quest.

How they can turn their backs on the UK dogs findings should be explained by them. It would be interesting to know how Gamble explains this away as well.

It would be also be interesting to know if Gamble or the higher echelons of the LP meet with McCann socially.

When they initially embarked on this cover up they thought that if they supressed and distorted the truth for a while it would all be forgotten and swept under the carpet.

Not in their wildest dreams could the imagine that years after the event people such as on this blog would spend so much of their time, for no personal gain whatsoever, and would put such effort in getting justice for the little girl and to bring those responsible for her death to account.

Don't give up, the clock is slowly ticking and the their time is running out.

If there is still an "ongoing enquiry", how come GM (who was and still is a suspect in this case as he has NOT been cleared) has been asked to speak at a CEOP conference as if he is an innocent victim of an abduction. HE HAS NOT BEEN CLEARED. The world has gone crazy.

Perhaps the Leicestershire Police don`t agree with what CEOP are doing and that`s why they`ve made it clear that the enquiry is still ongoing. CEOP has recently detached itself from the police I believe and become an independent body.Louise

It sounds to me as if Amaral wanted details of investigation released for the Jan 12th court case to support his findings and the British police are refusing. Sounds as if none of the British police involved in the investigation can testify to anything in the British case files. I think it is bad news for justice and the cover up continues.

Look at the Sky site - apparently the McCanns were wrongly acused and found to be innocent - I must have missed that happening!

To me there is no doubt, the McCanns have never answered questions which leave them deep in suspicion - the only reason for not clearing their names must be because they and their friends in government, judiciary and legislature, in the media amongst the others who also neglect their kids (we all know who they are) know they cannot clear their names - because they did leave the kids and were responsible for her fate. Plus they must keep their fraudulant fund going to maintain their lifestyle - built on the price paid by Madeleine.

Pretty obvious that this is to prevent any evidence being used to ensure that justice in the Amaral 'case' isnt done.

The McCanns have deep UK Government connections - I hope that the people of the UK realise the corruption over which Gordon Brown presides and remember it when they vote this year!

Rest assured, some of us will not start to re-remember events in the way they are now bein painted by the UK media and the government of Europe (now we are under the Sovereign power of the EU institutions).

How many British police forces were involved in this case? Why was Philllip Norman Allen,formerly with Thames Valley and seconded to the Criminal Investigation Unit out there "on holiday", interviewing people connected with this case in May 2007. His statement to the PJ is in the Maddie Files.

Well, perhaps someone will ask the McCann at the conference how well he values the deployment of the excellent British cadaver dogs in tracing missing children. His answer would be interesting. Some coincidence that the UK police files are declared 'persona non grata' at this stage of Snr Amaral's hearing? Surely this is not on the McCann's behalf, is it? Is it time for a document leak perhaps from some socially concious police clerk?

This about as murky as it gets. All we know for sure is that the LP resisted the McCanns' attempt to get their hands on their files despite the Judge's order that they, together with all official UK agencies, had to help the McCanns, even while they were still arguidos.

LP are just one player of course. We also have No. 10, the Home Office, the Justice Ministry, the Met Police, CEOP and the Foreign Office.

One can only suspect that different agencies have positioned themselves differently in relation to the McCanns. CEOP seem super-supportive.

I agree with many here that this announcement is directly related to the upcoming trial date for Sr. Amaral.

When I read the title, I was worried that the PJ files were going to be forbidden from further release to the public and any information from them was to be removed from availability to the public, out of the press archives and off internet sites. A hard job to do, but don't the McCanns and their protectors wish they could prevent people from reading and discussing them? Remember Gerry's comment to Sandra F. in the recent interview about the police files?

GAMBLE takes the easy way out...Note here he states he does not like to comment on SPECIFIC cases...(he justs helps child neglectors..)and those that refuse to answer police questions...Any other child this would not be the case, only the Mccanns...This stinks to high heaven .

Perhaps the witch looking woman lawyer the McCann have will be trying to pull the same thing with the Portuguese witnesses, by claiming that they cannot give evidence due to the so called ongoing investigation.

Be wary Sr Amaral, some people don't play by the rules and will always be looking for ways to bend them.

Hi everyone, and a Happy New Year to all. The way I feel about Leic. Police is, that, they just mere puppets in the whole game. Who cares if they not releasing any info. Just like the mcscums , they also have enough evidence to prove that Maddie is dead..... I am sure that the PJ has kept a few cards up their sleeve, - this is merely a waiting game and Gonçalo Amaral is just the person to keep them on their toes. Like Clarrie said - if she is dead she is dead. The real game now is between the macscucams and Dr Amaral.Jamar

Found this on Jon Clements blog...It seems of no importance to Gamble who took Madeleine.

Madeleine McCann... the guilty web surferBy Jon Clements on Nov 3, 09 11:01 AM in McCann Among the many interesting comments made by Jim Gamble, Britain's most senior child trafficking and abuse cop, about the disappearance of Madeleine was his theory about how whoever was involved would be regularly checking the internet to see if the net is closing in.

Gamble believes the new viral advert will "rattle" the offender or offenders because "every time you search for updates about where the investigation is you will meet this prompt to your conscience".

His willingness to discuss the case was a welcome relief after two and half years of complete silence from Leicestershire police, the Association of Chief Police Officers and the Serious Organised Crime Agency.

Gamble was reluctant to offer his own theory of what happened in Praia da Luz saying it "didn't matter" if Madeleine was taken for trafficking, or sexual exploitation or by some "deluded soul" who wanted to raise their own child.

Two words which did not pass his lips at any point, however, were "kidnap" and "abduct". Instead the case was strictly referred to as a "disappearance".

One thing Gamble did make clear, however, was his passionate belief that the advert would help find Madeleine and that it was still possible she remained alive.

Can anyone say why the McCanns are able to exert so much power? I still do not get how two ordinary, middle class people can have such power over two separate police forces in two countries, over politicians and even the Catholic church.

Isn't it possible that LP and other interested parties don't want either side - Amaral or McCann - to have access to, or use, their information in a court case when there has been no resolution re Madeleine McCann's disappearance.

Even though it doesn't appear to be an 'ongoing' investigation, if the case is reopened then any disclosure/use/manipulation, by either side, of information held in the case could jeopardise any future court case. Couldn't it?

What is interesting, I think, is the information they - LP - are refusing to make available. Seems there has been a lot more contact/communication between LP and government officials, McCann spokespeople, McCann family etc, than I would have imagined at least.

37 and 38, if you look at the other side of the prism, you'll see that this has nothing to do with conspiracies, have you ever heard of subservient cowards? People who belong to hierarchical institutions, like Police forces, tend to shut up, otherwise they might loose their jobs. Take this as an analogy as to the attitudes of some rent-a-cops, journalists, and others who we have met along the case.

I think you will find that Sr Amaral has no doubt there was interference from UK government sources.

The McCanns wanted Sr Amaral removed when he no longer bought their abduction story, and the investigation shifted onto them.

So he was removed, with Gordon Brown even making a telephone call to confirm that had happened, but it did not make any difference, because the investigators still came to the conclusion that Madeleine had died in the apartment, and there was no abduction.

Gordon Brown had no business whatsoever interfering with a criminal investigation, even though he and Gerry McCann did communicate with each other on a number of occasions on the phone.

@ post #33, thanks for that blog entry. Says it all, doesn't it? Gamble believes the McCanns. Perhaps, he'd give his reasons at the CEOP conference. Jon Clements has been sniffing for information. Hopefully, he'll be at the CEOP conference where he can pick the brains of both Gamble and Gerry.

Anonymous 16, I concur with you, however I believe that regardless how well Mr. Amaral defends himself the verdict has already been decided. Preventing evidence from being shown, will just make it look more honest to the uninformed. Both the English and the Portuguese government control the judicial systems in their respective countries and so I think the case against Mr. Amaral is a done deal.

People lie for a reason. They denied that their children had been drugged, they then told everyone that they had hair analyses done on the twins to prove they had not been drugged. Later on they changed their story and said that the perpetrator must have drugged the kids, why? My guess is that their strategy changed in case the Portuguese police had done tests on hair that showed the presence of drugs. Of course, If the kids were drugged just on that fateful day, I don't think the body would metabolize the drug quickly enough for it to show up in the hair. So, what do I conclude from these lies? The children were habitually sedated by the parents.

The parents claimed that their daughter was taken by a paedophile, why? She could have wondered off. She could have been abducted by a childless woman or couple. She could have been abducted by a third party, to sell to a childless couple. She could have been kidnapped and held for ransom? So why did the McCanns insist that she had been abducted by a paedophile? Why was this lie necessary. If the body of the child was found and showed signs of sexual abuse then they would attribute it to a paedophile abductor. So, what do I conclude from this lie? The child had been sexually abused and the parents knew about it. I know this is difficult to fathom, but this is what I conclude.

Now, why are people in positions of authority protecting this couple? Certainly these people are not stupid, they must know that the evidence points to the involvement of the parents. So, why would someone go to such extremes to protect this couple? Why risk your credibility by resorting to unethical behaviour? Why don't their benefactors insist that they stay away from the limelight? I can only conclude that the cover-up involves more than the murder of a child, and that blackmail is taking place.

39 who exactly and what is your proof? i don't doubt that they may have people friends in influential positions who may call in favours but a top rank conspiracy? i doubt it very much - who in their right mind would defend 2 suspects in a missing child case if they had doubts - no one

46 'who in their right mind would defend 2 suspects in a missing child case if they had doubts' - that's easy, those who can't go back because they publicly affirmed their support to the suspects; those who decided to make the missing child case into a profitable revenue; those who know that are genuinely mistaken but might loose votes or something else in case they assume the mistake; those who have already taken their support privately but can't do it publicly, the list goes on...

Hey there's an election coming up, who is going to really stick their neck out in the next few months.

Guerra, I do fear that the decision has been made by the respective judiciaries but I also feal that it will not be the end and that time is the enemy of those responsible for the child's disappearance.

unfortunately I to agree that this is a bad sign, and the case is all but won by team Mc. Does anyone know what happened to the Portuguese policeman that was found to have an enormous amount of money suddenly in his account, within days after Maddie went missing? And what was the solution to have enlarged photos of her on holiday with them? and why did Payne call a the crime specialist director, of the police in London the day after she was missing.What mother would not demand the reopening of the case to find her daughter, this i do not understand, instead of begging money and hiring private detectives? Are we all blind?? For sure his contacts are with Masons. If you have nothing to hide then open all investigating options open to you.wish snr Amaral the best of luck, a very brave man.

Reading through this 'Publication strategy' document, I was struck by the 'Gold Command minutes' which are to be kept secret.

What IS a 'Gold Command' I wondered.

Anyway, a bit of googling turns up the fact that the Gold - Silver - Bronze Structure, is used by emergency services in the United Kingdom to establish a hierachical framework for the command and control of major incidents and disasters.

It was created by the Metropolitan Police in 1985 as a direct result of the serious riots in North London where Police Constable Keith Blakelock was murdered.

Why was a similar 'Gold Command' set up in response to a child going missing ?

Children 'go missing' frequently ... are 'Gold Commands' established for all of them ? ... is every missimg child classed as a 'disaster' where this hierachical framework is deemed a necessity ?

And who WAS the 'Gold Commander' in overall control of the investigation into what happened to Madeleine McCann ?

A bit more information on Gold Groups from here : http://www.npia.police.uk/en/docs/Criti ... A_2007.pdf

I wonder when the Gold Group was set up and Madeleine's disappearance was declared a "Critical Incident"?

Who from the Government was involved with this group - media monitoring type of people?

There must have been representatives from CEOP, FSS and various UK Police Forces: the minutes from these meetings could prove very enlightening!

All Gold Group meetings must be documented and are subject todisclosure under the Criminal Procedure and Investigations Act 1996, unless PublicInterest Immunity (PII) applies.

3.6.1 GOLD GROUPSA Gold Group can provide the gold commander with valuable consultation and decisionsupport. It will help to ensure coordination in multi-agency type incidents, and providelinks with the local community and other legitimately interested parties as appropriate.Care should be taken, however, to ensure that the views canvassed represent those of theindividuals and groups affected by the critical incident. Gold Groups should includecommunities who may not appear to be directly affected but could be indirectly.The principal function of a Gold Group should be strategic, ie, they provide impartialsupport, advice and analysis. The specific function, membership and content of a GoldGroup will vary for each incident. The gold commander must ensure that a soundframework for discussion is maintained during meetings, which are likely to be complexand highly-charged. All Gold Group meetings must be documented and are subject todisclosure under the Criminal Procedure and Investigations Act 1996, unless PublicInterest Immunity (PII) applies.The gold commander is ultimately responsible for any strategic decisions affecting thepolice response.

I think your explanation makes the most sense. I have read a lot of theories about pedophiles being involved in this case long before the family took Madeleine to Portugal, and David Payne's behaviour still demands explanation, however, the simplest explanation is often the truth. High profile people reacted viscerally to the story of a lovely, innocent little girl being taken, possibly by a pedophile, and by the time dust settled and it became apparent that the parents were the most likely culprits, the politician and wealthy philanthropists felt they would lose face, public faith and their good names if they changed horses mid race. The result being that those who genuinely wanted to help Madeleine for her sake are now hurting her for their own sake.

Anon 37,38 39...I remember the interference of UK government was since the first day and Tony Blair was in power yet.All these influences in case of 2 nobody doctors only make since If someone in high power is in some way involved OR If the bunch of scum doctors has something which allow them to make blackmail.Any day i get more conviction that behind the sad fact of the little girl disappearing is some UGLY secret... why and with who.. i don't know. Nobody except them knows...

Perhaps A Minute for Madeleine is a trap to find out who is prepared to tell what they know.It is a way to control people who came to terms with what happened and who are willing to go to their local police.The local police will keep all the statements secret.And the police will follow the persons who know about people involved in this case.The best should be to ask these people to go to a police abroad, when they go on holiays, Ireland,France, Italy etc and tell what they know.Or to go to a Portuguese consulate in the UK or to the Portuguese Embassy.Or even to send an email to the Portuguese police.

I wonder how many people have gone to their local police in the past telling what they know or strongly suspect.

And their local police kept those statements secret.People around the McCanns and the Paynes must know a lot about them and probably many of them have gone already to the police in order to tell it.Now I believe that the Gaspars'statements were leaked to the Portuguese police and not sent intentionally and officially.Somebody among those English police men felt he had to be honest.I believe this honest police man felt angry when he heard about Amaral's dismission.Or when he found out the English police never sent it to the PJ.

With regards to post #42, why to people espousing a conspiracy theory always entreat others to ''wake up!'' ? I actually find it rather offensive.

I don't see any evidence of a government with an agenda, here. What I see is a machine which sprang to life on hearing that a group of doctors had all been dining out without making any proper provision for their children, resulting in one going missing. I'm sure they took the view that this was the kind of publicity which Britain really didn't need, and so tried to 'manage' the story. Let's face it, Brits abroad has become a synonym for bad behaviour.

I think if you expect people to buy into a story involving high-level government involvement, Masons, child trafficking etc, then all that happens is that people switch off.

The fact is, there are only two real possibilities here. Either the parents know what happened, or they don't. If as they maintain they were having dinner, and making the checks they claim to have made, then they have absolutely no idea what happened to her. Jane Tanner may have seen a man carrying a child, but there is no proof that what she saw was anything other than a man carrying his daughter home, as she wasn't able to positively identify Madeleine. The other family who also saw a man carrying a child did so considerably later, some 45 minutes or so later, and I hardly think an abductor would be wandering around carrying his victim in full view for three quarters of an hour, somehow. So if this was an abductor, with Madeleine, then it's almost certainly a different man to the one Jane Tanner saw, or she got her times hopelessly wrong.

Take away the Jane Tanner sighting, and what do the McCanns have ? Nothing.

No idea what happened to their child, and a very large window of time during which whatever did happen to her could have happened. They could neither see nor hear what was happening in their apartment from where they were - a clear illustration of the fact that they left the children in an unsafe environment - and as there was a period of close to an hour during which no-one actually saw her or claims to have seen her, then goodness knows what could have happened during that time.

So, they can't have it both ways. Either they know what happened, or they don't.If they do, they have some questions to answer, and if they don't they have some questions to answer - especially why they have been so insistent that they know, when the police who actually worked the evidence have been unable to reach the same conclusion.

Let's say I lose my car keys. I might be able to narrow down the possible places I may have lost them by recalling when I know I definitely last had them. Ultimately though, unless I can say for certain that I still had them in my possession at certain points, because I put something in the boot for example, or used another key on the same bunch, then I have to work on the assumption that I have lost them sometime between parking the car and finally returning to it. If I don't, I risk missing some place out when I search for them.

Of course, this was the reason the PJ wanted them all to return for a reconstruction........................

If the McCanns are telling the truth about the events of that evening, then THEY DO NOT KNOW what has happened to Madeleine. That also means that all the subsequent crap about predators and people watching them is pure bollocks. I would have also thought that parents who genuinely did not know what had happened would, on hearing that the cadaver dog gave a positive reaction in the flat would have been utterly distraught.

I personally am not convinced there is a full-blown conspiracy in this case. I agree that there has undoubtedly been protection and the use of influence in certain quarters - that much is obvious, but it doesn't mean there is some massive, hidden, all-important conspiracy. If there had been, I'm certain the McCanns would never have ended up being made arguidos; the protection would have kicked in from the beginning and prevented such a thing from happening. The British dogs would never have been sent to Portugal, no matter who had requested them, also Gonçalo Amaral would have been taken off the case on some pretext or other at a much earlier date.

Just my own ideas, of course, and we'll see how things go in the coming weeks and months. If GA is prevented from calling British policemen as witnesses or if he's prevented from referring to the fact that at least some of those policemen agreed with his theory, then I might change my mind. That would be such a blatantly unfair thing to happen, make such a mockery of the whole idea of justice, that even I might begin to think there's something truly appalling at the heart of all of this, more appalling even than the simple but terrible fact of a child's disappearance/death.

But I don't doubt the truth will come out eventually; I never have doubted this and I'm more convinced of it than ever. Truth has a way of seeping out between the cracks and there have been cracks in this case all the way along. We should perhaps remember that

'All truth passes through three stages. First, it is ridiculed. Second, it is violently opposed. Third, it is accepted as being self-evident.' (Schopenhauer)

We've seen a lot of the first and second stage in this case, yet all the ridicule and opposition have done nothing to stop the ongoing search for the full truth about Madeleine's disappearance, which is why I am convinced the third stage will follow in time.

The daily express says that the investigation has been shelved.No more "ongoig investigation".It also says that Leicestershire police have a good relationship with mccann's private investigators...Good enough to give them access to those "secret" files?

"Their private investigators continue to have a good relationship with them ( the leiester police ) as the search goes on"

Now what does that MEAN exactly ?

Are the Liecester police 'helping'or 'working with' the McCann's private investigators ? .... is that what Clarence Mitchell means when he speaks of their 'good reletionship' ?

As a tax payer, who funds the police, I would like to know if my money is being used to help privately hired investigators. Is that part of the remit of police forces in general ? ... to have 'good relationships' with private detectives on the payroll of those with plenty of money ?

If I remember correctly, didn't the McCanns make Maddie a ward of court? Would that not have taken all their parential rights away?In which case, are they not acting illegally by organising private investigations into her disappearance. What benefit was there in making her ward of court?

The British papers are universally reporting this latest information by stating that the Leicester police will not release any details until Madeleine McCann's 'kidnapper' has been found.

Why are they saying that ?

The police document repeats ... over and over again ... that details of the ongoing investigation will only be made public "when the circumstances surrounding Madeleine's disappearance are fully known, and the person/people involved have been brought to justice"

No mention of a 'kidnapper/abductor is ever made ... no mention at ALL !

So why are the papers giving out inaccurate information ?

Has Clarence Mitchell been working over-time tonight, contacting all the British rags and ensuring they have the proper ( albeit incorrect ) 'key-words' in place ?

RIPA referred to in the police briefing note means the Regulation of Investigatory Powers Act which provides for the interception of the communications of suspected criminals by the security and intelligences services.

So whose communications (and that has to be within the UK) do you think British agencies are intercepting?

Why do you think they insist on using the word "disappearance", rather than abduction or kidnapping? Because they are all supporting Kate and Gerry McCann? Do you genuinely believe that in spite of what you can read above? Why are British Agencies still investigating those who ar "behind the disappearance of Madeleine McCann" and why do they speak about bringing the perpetrators to justice?

Do you think Jim Gamble is authorised (or any other person working in the police and security services) to offer any opinion on who he thinks is guilty in the disappearance of Madeleine? Would that prevent any trial taking place of the McCanns and maybe others, answer, YES!

Do you honestly believe you have better police "tactics" to offer him that what he can devise himself?

Who do you think the Gold Group are?

Sometimes I honestly believe that many of you must be on the side of the McCanns!

Leicester police afraid to reveal why they replaced Scotland Yard( MORE TRAINED AND WITH MORE EXPERIENCE IN MISSING PERSONS) and why Gerry had at his side table a book which was supposed to be only at polices hands. A useful book which explains how to conceal cadavers. A very interesting subject to read when his daughter disappeared and is alive without evidences of being harmed, in the care of a paedophile.... THAT MAN IS REALLY THE MAIN CLOWN ON THE ALL SAGA, and the police seems being part of the musicians in the circus. THE BOOK, EVEN CLOSED, told us much more then more then 2 years of spin lies, coming out from Mccann's mouths. YAH... He should be invited to the CEOP conference to explain how useful was for him that special book. He can recommend the book and the police services to all perverted people which wants to get ride of a person on their life's. SO MANY THINGS TO HIDE , this is why Leicester police is so nervous.

It matters not that the British police are not going to release any files or information pertaining to the McCann case, for there is no McCann case in the UK. The parents have chosen not to report their child as missing to the UK police.I matters not that the McCann’s manipulate the media, the British courts and the Portuguese justice system.

What does matter is that the Portuguese justice system should put right the wrongs done by their own judges to one of their own honourable men and bring the McCann’s to trial for perverting the course of justice and being complicit in the unlawful death of their daughter

"So why did the McCanns insist that she had been abducted by a paedophile? Why was this lie necessary. If the body of the child was found and showed signs of sexual abuse then they would attribute it to a paedophile abductor."

For me this is also the key question.Was there a cover up for an other crime?

Perhaps the journos are putting in Freedom of Information requests to the LP prior to Mr Amaral's hearing, and the LP are getting fed up so they issue this statement to stop the requests- the journos then get their revenge by spinning it the McCies way- especially if Uncle Clarence has been having choccie biscuits with the editor to 'shape' the story again???Although I am frustrated by the LP, I am encouraged by the fact that at no time do they mention'abduction'. I am not worried until Mr Amaral says he is worried.

I have also wondered why the necessity to hide the body, when it would have been possible for whoever subsequently hid Madeleine, to have known Madeleine died behind the settee, and simply left her there instead.

The next morning the body could have been 'just discovered', and it would look as if Madeleine must had died as the result of an accident whilst sleepwalking, while the rest of the family were in bed asleep. End of!

There would have been no fear of neglect charges because the McCanns were there at the time, albeit asleep, and Madeleine could have had a decent burial.

That's why, as I believe those dogs got it right and Madeleine is dead, there surely has to be something much more than a simple accident to account for the reason why Madeleine's body has not been found.

Unless, somebody was in a panic and not thinking, but that is hard to believe.

It will be truly shocking if it turns out that the LP have been withholding masses of information from the PJ. Actually, perhaps not given what happened with the Gaspars' statements. But how will they justify such action to the PJ whom they insist they are assisting?

I guess you are probably right. With the coming court hearing in Lisbon, the British authorities are trying to gag the British policemen testifying as GA's witnesses. Here you have "The English Gag" at work. Goncalo Amaral: the modern Nostradamus.

If this is part of 'The English Gag' then all it will do is prove that GA was right all along, that he knew about the gag that would be used to frustrate his attempts to show he had support among the English police for his theory that Madeleine was dead, as well as among his own colleagues.

I hope if this affects the court proceedings in any way that GA and his Portuguese supporters bring it to the attention of the world when the hearing is over, regardless of the outcome. That would be the ideal time to refer them to his second book, in which they'll find how right he was about how he is being gagged. Sooner or later someone, maybe a journalist with a nose for a really big story, will begin to question what is going on in this case and begin to investigate.

2010 promises to be a year of interest in this case. The call to have the case re-opened will maybe become such a clamour that it can no longer be ignored. It is incredible that the parents of the missing child haven't been in the forefront of this call, but if they won't do then others will. When that happens, then all the Leics police files will have to be made available to the PJ because, if not, a major scandal will ensue. What's needed now, of course, is a whistle-blower within the Leics police, if this latest announcement affects GA's rights at the forthcoming hearing.

Does this new "ongoing enquiry" mean Edgar the Eejit and co. They, LP, are saying that they have a good relationship with the so called PIs. That would mean they are sitting on their infomation, because mccann have employed ....? call them as you like. Privatly. WTF that has to do with the Leicestershire Police. Since when police is doing what ever they can to support people who are serial child neglectors at their best. And the British public in funding it. I feel sick.

According to a supporter of the McCanns on Martin Brunt's Sky blog, the McCanns DON'T want the Portuguese investigating the case so they won't be asking for it to be re-opened! This has been said as a matter of fact as if the poster has "inside" knowledge.

I read with interest the part about 'police tactics' and the need to not reveal them. With the abductor scenario, the abductor would know that the child had been reported missing and that the police are lookiong for her. Why the need for secret tactics? It sounds much more like a complex game of cat & mouse with those much closer to home, those who possibly are being lulled into a false sense of security. It does not matter who the McCanns are pals with, in reality they can trust noone. All this from the police could be 'tactics' aimed at getting the parents prosecuted. I believe the LP know who is guilty, and they like the PJ, are bideing their time.

I think a lot of people are being very pessimistic and reading this wrong. I agree with 73 and I also won't be worried until Mr Amaral is worried. He did say 'Don't underestimate me'- to the McCanns I believe.

I am quite sure he has all the information he needs in the files at the PJ. There are after all 85% of the files NOT released. What do they contain???

My guess is that the LP put this story out because of the barrage of FOI requests they've been receiving. It is a well known fact that journalists as well as members of the public have put in such requests. Perhaps, the volume increased in the lead-up to the January hearing? Who knows but I do however find the timing of it's release curious. It could actually be in response to the McCanns once again fishing for information.

I think there is a lot of wishful thinking going on regarding the LP, just as there has been about Gamble, but perhaps Sr Amaral will make a comment regarding his opinion on this information from the LP.

So the McCanns don't want the PJ's to reopen the case!! Well that just goes to prove they are very worried about what might come out! If they were really desperate to find Madeleine they would want all the information held by everyone involved, both in the UK and Portugal, to come out.

As far as a conspiracy is concerned, I still go along with the idea of a Masonic influence in all this. The way Gerry McCann was given a standing ovation by the Leicester Police, makes one wonder how many of their numbers are Masons themselves! Would they have given that reception to any other Brit who had abandoned his children for a night out with his pals? I don't think so!

It has been well known for years that the UK police have always had a close connection with Masonry and many members.

Gerry McCann may have met some of the members of the LP in a social setting connected with Masonry, so the case should be passed on to another UK Force, at the very least to show clean hands and no bias.

After all, a judge is not allowed to sit in judgement on a case where they know the accused, and have to recuse themselves.

It is not good to have a closeness to somebody with a propensity for being suspects in the disappearance of their daughter. The McCanns have not been cleared by any means, as so far there has been no trial.

poster 90 .. i wish I could be as sure as you are ,My dream is for these 2 and everyone who has covered for them ,to be brought to account ,but I feel the chance of it happening is slipping away ,I hope Im wrong ,Poor Maddie ,what did she do that was so wrong that people feel they have a God given right to smear her memory ?

What matters now is Mr Amaral lets be honest he is the only one who has been fighting Maddies corner from day one, he is the only one who can get this pair of Liars exposed for what they are. I also think we have Masonic influence here at govenment level and at a personel level but I do believe Mr Amaral's version of events that it was a tragic accident and the Maccanns know where their daughters body is.Thank you to all who make this blog possible and to the Amaral Family God Bless you all.

People who follow this blog and who know about something around Madeleine should go to a Portuguese consulate or to the Portuguese Embassy with a letter telling what they know and ask the Portuguese authorities to send it to the PJ by diplomatic mail.Regular mail could be controlled.Or send an email to the Portuguese police.The best would be go to a police station, abroad, tell what they know and ask them to send their statements to Portugal.This is worse than the Soviet Union.

I don't to be negative but I can not see justice been made for this little girl. Now learning that LP is also, alegelly helping this evil couple, it makes me really worried for Sr Amaral. Lets hope that something good will happen to him so that justice may happen to M one day.

Yep who really cares what LP, UK Government & Home Office think or say at the end of the day its all about Mr Amaral and the Mccanns, the PJ are no fools either.The one thing we have to remember is, Socrates and Brown ain't got long to go, so yes I agree it is a waiting game, a game Mr Amaral will win, unlike Team Mccann and Socrates/Brown & co.

The "Operation Task Publication Strategy" is the appendix of a new Police report that reviews Operation Task:

"The report reviews the legal and procedural framework, strategic considerations and the provision of tactical support; the appendix contains Operation Task's publication strategy, set out in tabular format."

"This report is intended to record the experiences of the operation's Gold Group and to identify lessons which may be of benefit to the police service; it makes practice recommendations. Since this was, for various reasons, an unusual case and one not typical of UK policing assistance to criminal investigations abroad, the report also draws on the experiences of a wider group of people who had been involved in such operations."

Interesting - the publication strategy released as a PDF is the appendix to this report. Perhaps we will see the full report as a PDF?

Anon 57 yes it makes you wonder? why has LP made such a comment, is it part of what Gamble said about pricking your conscience and coming forward, LP saying it will not release info will this help anyone who is thinking of speaking out to come forward knowing it will be kept secret until the CULPRITS are in jail!!

Is this all part of some kind of plan to get witnesses to come forward?

Hi Viv 67Yes...they all watch their mouths and ...steps. On the other hand,time goes on and I always believed that one of those days,somebody somewhere will take a false stance...As time goes on, this sorry saga has become thicker than Hogg"s wigg :DWould you know if the twins have been made woc? It was a rumour on some other wooshed clunked forum.Almost 3 years later,this still bugs me,especialy in regard of M.By the way, how comes Hogg is not representing Madeleine in Lisboa?

Anon 73I am not worried either. I became immune to the Spin Virus

Hi Shubob 89May be inside knowlege may be not but in any case fairly logical and sort of "expected".GA"s determination and perseverance are certainely rattling some cages :D

#59 Bridget, Great posting ! The Cadaver Dog positive reaction DID make the McCanns "Utterly distraught" but not as decent parents would be, they knew that the game could be up for them. Thats why they sought out any negative news regarding Cadaver Dogs,even to having their Lawyers contact Eugene Zapata's Defence Team in the U.S.A. Because the Judge in that case ruled out the Cadaver Dog's reactions as unreliable, the trial ended in Deadlock. At the retrial in Feb,2008, Zapata made a full disclosure of his wife's killing and the places in which he had kept her body.The places which the dogs had reacted to had contained her corpse after all, and that was after 28 years had elapsed ! I dont recall the McCanns quoting that result. I looked up the definition of "Distraught"----"Much agitated in mind, nearly crazy with worry etc". Yes, I'll bet they were !

To me, this is a bit of a non-story. I wouldn't expect police to inform the public of what they have in their files as part of their routine.When they do not cooperate with other police forces, that is another matter.That LP will never reveal their tactics, I have no doubt. It would be an embarrassment to them. Just the knowledge that the Gaspar statement took 6 months to get to Portugal has totally undermined their credibility, specially when they have the gall to say they did not withold information, denying the bleeding obvious.

A true indicator of whether or not the LP are objective, would be if the case was reopened and the police turned up at Rothley Manor with a warrant, without telling the McCanns, and searched the gardens and house.

With those wonderful dogs with them of course.

It is about time this happened. Why should the Murats have had their property turned upside down with a search, and the McCanns given a pass.

just over a year ago in the times i read that in a survey by that newspaper 80 per cent of the judges and policemen questioned refused to disclose if or not they were freemasons. to me that means that at least eighty per cent are

The British detective who will testify on Gonçalo Amaral's behalf is from Scotland Yard and has nothing to do with LP. So, the fact that LP does not intend to make public their files has no bearing on the hearing of the appeal.

Gonçalo Amaral's defense is based on the Portuguese police files and not on the LP files to which, I am sure, he has never had access.

It looks as if CM and McCann put the press release out about Leicester Police not publishing information or files. This was obviously inspired by the appendix "TASK Publication Strategy" attached to the Leicester Police / NPIA report on Operation TASK.

It looks to me as if the Leicester Police did not issue the press release, rather CM has reproduced the appendix as a PDF and created an official looking press release in order to scare a few people

Annonymous 123, If, as you say, the LP did not put out the statement -and I hope sincerely you are correct - then why haven't the LP issued a denial?The statement LOOKS as if it comes from the LP and it has been MADE to look that way so I would hope the LP would recognise that Joe public will believe it WAS issued by them and do something about it. And also take Clarence Mitchell to task if he is indeed the guilty party.If it was me issuing a statement which read as if it came from a police force you can bet your bottom dollar they would come down on me like a ton of bricks.

Gerry McCann a Freemason? It could explain the extraordinary protection that McCann’s receive; the freemasons are a very powerful secret society, fourteen us presidents where freemason, how many british policemen, politicians, judges, and news paper editors are freemasons? It’s the only explanation

I wonder if somebody went to the police, after the CEOP appeal, and if this somebody has been gagged aswell.I don't believe at all that any British local police will do anything about new statements.They will keep every statement for 100% secret, for the rest of this century.And they will find out who is talking too much.Am I right or am I right?I hope those witnesses read this blog and get the idea to go to Portuguese consulates or to the Portuguese Embassy in the UK.Deliver them a letter telling what they know and asking them to send it through diplomatic mail, to the PJ in Portugal.What a prison, what a prison.I don't even trust the Scotland Yard.

poster 133 ,the power they have been given is going to their heads ,From day one they believed (and was ALLOWED to believe) they were above the law ,they have insisted to be treat with kid gloves (and have been ) This is what makes me think they have someone or something VERY big behind them ,or they would never have got away with what they have ,never in my lifetime have I ever known a pair of suspects to take over the running of their own case !! but these two have ,from the start !!

Re. Freemasonry connections- I can see why people believe that Freemasonry could be involved in this case, Gerry McCann seems to have the right connections for it, (maybe that was why the vatican removed their website link???) but I seem to recall an interview with Mr. Amaral a while back saying that he has had support from the Freemasons himself.Sorry I can't remember where I read the interview or when. But they are worldwide so why not in Portugal too? Maybe having Freemason contacts will work for Mr Amaral too?

Suspects in a case should not be socially associating with those who are in positions of authority which might be seen, rightly or wrongly, to be supporting them, and could influence the outcome of an investigation.

There are Masons everywhere and in all walks of life who can support who they like, but when it comes to those in authority in the government, judicary, or police, rubbing shoulders with people who have not yet been cleared, no matter how the McCanns spin it, in an ongoing case, then that is a different matter.

Just as a judge will recuse themselves if they have any connection at all with somebody appearing a case, if this is happening in the LP, it should be revealed, and the case passed on to another UK Force.

I don't think this is so much about keeping information under wraps (we all know police do that), it is more about their excuse for not allowing UK police who worked on the case in Portugal, to appear and give evidence, even though that information is already in the public domain.

Are they going to use this as an excuse?

That is why it is going to be interesting to see whether the witness from Scotland Yard (obviously not LP), will be allowed to appear, or will he also be silenced using the same excuse.

April 1970 in Ireland a 10 year old girl Bernadette Connolly was murdered and possibly raped. The file is to be examined since the publication of the 'Murphy Report' on child abuse by members of the Clergy. It is believed the main suspect for the murder was a priest who knew the family but who has since died. For almost 40 years Bernadette's sisters never gave up the fight for justice.

Since the Report a former senior detective admits that Garda (Irish Police) authorities and their affiliation to 'Mother Church' played a key role in the case. At the time his chief superintendent then came to him and said to call it (investigation) off. He was told this was coming right from the top.

They were in no doubt that senior members of the clergy were informed by their own superiors (judiciary) of every step in the murder investigation. They felt that they had been working with one hand tied behind their backs because police authorities would not sanction the arrest of a cleric and who was the main suspect in the case. They felt information was at the very least being drip-fed to the hierarchy.

@ post #140, what a depressing story. I fear the same is happing with this case.

@ post #141, what annoys me most is that none of Grime's collegues have stood up for him against the attacks from the McCanns! Grime and his dogs helped many a police force in the UK solve many a case yet his work has been ridiculed by the McCanns and no one had defended his corner? Shocking!

ShuBob #144. It is a sad depressing story but I wouldn't throw the towel in really. The Connolly family did not have the determination and bravery of Goncalo Amaral to challenge the hierarchy. Different times, different people and thank God for GA, a force to be reckoned with. Justice WILL be done!

The Mccanns have had all this support since day one, very powerful support at that, yet their account by most people is not believed.

Whatever happpens legally the fight for the truth must never stop, these type of things tend to come crashing down all at once, you feel no ground is been made...then a few stitches open and the material unravels at the seams.

I believe Goncalo Amaral to be still playing by the rules in the face of cheating opponents.however sometimes to catch a thief you need to think like one.

it has been alluded to that the AG is in possession of a Document proving the death scenario. It has been said these files are locked away.What is this Document?As hard as it maybe for Mr Amaral to come to terms with...if the court goes against him ( i still believe HE will win at court and thus the pressure will ramp up again), however if he does not then he has two choices.1. get on with his life ( non starter i would say after what he and his family have been subjected too )2. tell everthing he knows and sing it from the treetops.( i mean everthing nothing held back regardless of consequences.)

Remember he will have the worlds media on him at this hearing shortly..a good time to start talking about files that are been kept hidden.

131, I totally agree with you.You are right.This never came from the police themselves.Police have more to do than to write about the McCanns.Again the McCanns trying to manipulate.They are scared of Amaral.Next days we will probably see a lot of garbage written everywhere.Smoke and mirrors.The words "brought to justice"say enough:this text comes from Gerry.This means he can manipulate but he is not as powerful as we thought before, much before.He has difficulties to shut up people.He tries to schock us around, in order to win the game.

And I believe he has not gotten so much support now like he used to get before.

It's about time that someone left an important document in a photocopier. That is how many past scandals got their first outing - a piece of paper left behind and picked up by someone else with either a better conscience or an eye for a good story (or both.) Daily papers give pleas for personal news items and so many mobile phones have all sorts of facilities on them for forwarding photos etc. The silence on so many items in this never-ending-saga astounds me. Where is the sick person that Gerry helped on the plane,on his quick visit back to England, 2007? Where are the relatives of the six dead people from the Rothley area, visited by Kate McCann (i.e.DR K Healey) the week before the holiday? Where are any photos from other holidaymakers at the Mark Warner complex? Where are the other families whose children went to the creche?Any photos?I'll stop there -you can add more.

Yes, you are right. For me one of the many odd things about this case is that apparently not one of the people who must know so much more than we do, (one could add to your list junior policemen the staff and other customers at the Praia de Luz restaurants as just two more examples) has not made use of the anonymity of the internet in order to spill the beans.

People need to know if the child was sexually abused, murdered or died from an overdose, although an overdose wouldn't leave splatters of blood all over the wall.What are these people actually guilty of and why are the being assisted in the cover up.It is the police's duty to come up with answers or their are not fit for purpose. All the rest is bullshit.

On the one hand you have parents with young children. On the other hand you have rich powerful people prepared to go to any lengths to cover up something.Then you have all the parents cliquing together probably fearing they would lose their children or jobs or both. They lie & confuse the only genuine police investigation taking place.Madeleine went missing completely.All the parents, plus the rich & powerfull have made damned sure no remains have been found to examine.To me this adds up to something like Operation Ore, rather some of the people probably listed in there.Someone must supply children to these perves, and we know who loves money, don`t we?Sorry but it is the only conclusion I can come up with.It is IMO likely that Madeleine died accidently as a result of abuse.The fact that Gamble specialises in child abuse cases helps my opinion.